Thrust-bearing.



R. H. M01; & W. JOHNSON. TBRUST BEARING. APPLICATION FILED 001. 20, 1911.

g fzl Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

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witnesse$z 24, 2': Richard Hfiice 5M 9 5 3 3/ Their" 04 C16 R. H. RICE 3: W. JOHNSON. THRUST BEARING. APPLICATION FILED 00120 1. 11. Lgggfi'm Patented Mar. 10, 1914.

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lnvfin'hmrst Wmmw Wchard Hmm,

Warner" dmhnson, i ykaw. W [QM/W 1 ,QZMM

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an stir moi-man H. atom Aim WERNER J OHNSON, or LYNN, messaonusnzrrs, assiduotas 'ro GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A GURPORA'LION OF NEW Y'DltK.

ninausraenaaine.

eeann.

' county of Essex, State of Massachusetts,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Thrust-Bearings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shaft bearings, and especially to those used on horizontal elastic fluid turbines to center the rotating member withrespect to the stationary member, and to prevent said rotating member from accidentally shifting in either direc--- tion.

The object of the invention is to provide a thrust bearing of such construction that the shaft and the parts mounted thereon can be accurately adjusted to a given position, and retained there securely, in spite of the thrust caused by the impact of steam against the buckets on the turbine wheels. To obtain a proper clearance between the revolving buckets and the stationary ones, a fine adjustment is desirable. In the present in.- vention this is secured by cutting external. screw threads on the thrust casing containing the anti-friction thrust members, and providing a ring or collar having internal screw threads meshing with those on the casing. The ring is rotatable between stationary abutments, and can be turned by a worm meshing with worm gear teeth on the outer surface oi. the ring. Rotation of the ring causes the thrust bearing to slide longitudinally, carrying with it the shaft and the rotating member of the turbine.

In the accompanying drawings, which represent one embodiment of our invention, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section showing the thrust bearing in elevation; Fig. 2 shows the thrust bearing in sectionon the line 2 2, Fig. 3; Fig. 2 is-a cross section on the line ww, Fig. 2; Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2; and Fig. 4|: is a cross section on the line 4=-4-, 2, showing one of the anti-friction memb rs.

The shaft 1 of the orizontal steam turend I ofrthe bearing is extended. to form a :in main ter I specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 20, 1911.

hous" ditorthe thrust. bearingla uhich is? flon'TI-ofthe shaft, reduced to torm a shoulder 8 against Patented Mar. 1Q, 191th.

Serial No. 655,73h.

which the end ring 9, of the thrust hearing abuts. This ring is splined on the shaft b means of a stud l0 rojecting from the shait into a longitudinafgroove 11 in said ring. Next to the end ring 9 is a loose annular carrier 15?. having a plurality of radial recesses in each of which is a roller 13 an ranged with its axis radial and confined by an encircling shroud 14. The rollers project slightly beyond the faces of the carrier. A second roller carrier 15 is separated from the first by a washer 16. On the other side of it is a stationary bearing ring 17, anchored by a dowel pin 18 to an internal annular rib 19 on the casing 20, which incloses the anti-friction thrust members above described. On the other side of this rib is a duplicate set of thrust members comprising roller carriers and washers and an end ring ment to the casing is by means of a screw threaded ring or nut 25 meshing with screwthreads 26 on the cylindrical exterior of the casing, and revoluble concentric with the casing. The ring is sustained agaiust lateral displacement by lugs 27 in the housing 6 and on a cap 28 fastened by screws 29 to the end of said housing. For revolving the rind 25 we prefer to use a worm 3O meshing wit worm gear teeth 31. on the exterior of said ring. The worm is out on an arbor 32 which is journaled in the wallsott the housing 6, and has a squared end projecting out through an opening in the journal box. sleeve 34lincloses the arbor above the housing, said sleeve having a flange 35 secured to said housing by screws 36. *Tllhe lower end. of the sleeye bearsupon a cells" 3? on the adieu-which is received inacountersink g! the housing and acts as a thrust hearing aiibo t 'a.;ie ;a nut3s ona screw- .ea'ded' portionot the arbor below the squared end 33 bears upon the upperend of thesleeve 34 and locks the arbor and the A we casing 20 after the latter has been adjusted. To prevent the casing from rotating" with the ring a key 39 is fastened to the casing by the screw 40 and engages-with a longitudinal key way 41 in the inside of one of the lugs 27 on the cap 28.

The operation is its followsz When. it becomes necessary to adjust the shaft'endwise, a wrench is applied to the lock nut 38 to loosen it, after which the arbor 32 can be rotated by using a wrench on the squared end 33., The turning of the worm causes the ring 25 to revolve and the interaction, of the screw-threads on said ring and on the casing 20 effects a longitudinal movement of said casing. The 'rib 19 in the casing presses the thrust members against either the shoulder 8 or the 'nut 23, as the case may be and thus imparts an axial movement to the shaft 1 and the rotor of the turbine. When the proper adjustment has been effected, the lock-nut 38 istightened up to hold all the parts firmly in position. Any wear or lost motion in the thrust bearing can be taken up by means of the nut 23. -The thrustof the shaft is sustained by the rib 19, belng transmitted through one set or the other of rings, roller carriers and washers. The double set of rollers lessens the speed, dis tributes the wear and lengthens the term of service of the bearing. To permit free movement of the self-alining bearing in its spherical seat 42, the opening in the journalbox for the sleeve 34 is made large enough to let said sleeve move inany direct-iomaud the annular space about it is closed by an annular cover 43 which rests loosely on the box and can slide to and fro with the movements of the bearing.

In accordance with'the provisions of the patent statutes, we have described the principle of operation of our invention, together with thef'apparatus which we now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but we desire to have it understood that the apparatus shown is only illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination with a shaft havinga shoulder and an adjustable abutment, of

a casing surrounding said shaft and provided with aninternal rib intermediate 1ts ends, anti-friction elements between the opposite sides of the rib and said shoulder and abutment, a'means that engages the periphcry of the casing'for adjusting it and with it' the, shaft axially, and a stationary element which carries said means.

2. The combination with a' shaft having abutments, of .a. casing surrounding said shaft and provided with an internal rib,

rings surrounding said shaft, annular carriers having radial rollers bearing against said'rings, saidrings and carriers being arranged'between the rib and the abutments, means for adjusting the casing and with it the shaft axially, said means including a nut 'that is in threaded engagement withthe periphery of thecas'ing, and means which prevents the casing from: turning and permits it to be adjusted'axially,

3. The combination with a shaft having ashoulder, a nut screwed on a reduced portion of said shaft, an inclosing casing having anintegral internal rib between said shoulder and nut, anti-friction members interposed between said shoulder and one side of said 'rib and between said -nut'and the other side of said rib, a housing for the easing, and means carried by the housing for adjusting the casing and with it the shaft axially 4. The combination with a shaft having abutments, of a cylindrical casin'gsurrounding said shaft and provided with an internal rib, anti-friction members between said rib and said abutments, external screw-threads on said casing, a screw threaded ring meshing therewith, means for rotating said ring to adjust the position of the shaft, means for preventing axial movement of the ring, and a key which prevents the casing from turning and permits it to .be adjusted axially.

5. The combination with a shaft having abutments, of a cylindrical casing surrounding said shaft and providedwith an internal rib,'anti-friction members between said rib and said abutments, external screw-threads on said casing, a screw-threaded ring meshing therewith and provided with external worm gear teeth, a worm meshing with said teeth, means for preventing the movement of said'ring along saidshaft, and means for preventing said casing from rotating.

6. The combination with a shaft having a journal, and a reduced portion having abutments, of a bearing for said journal-having 1 an extension forminga housing-for said reduced portion, a casing 1n said housing sur-- rounding said reduced shaft portion, thrust members between said casing and said abutments, one of the abutments being ad ustable to take .upv wear and lost motion of the thrust bearing, means carried by the housing for causing a longltudinal ad ustment the casing, said means comprising a nut "t r t at engages the casing,a'device for turnin the nut, lugs carried by the housing whic engage opposite sidesof the nut to prevent axial movement thereof, and a key for the casing that is carried by the housing. 7 7.- The combination with a shaft having a journal and'a reduced. ortion provided with abutments, of a self alining bearing for thejournal havingv an extension inclosing the reduced portion of the shaft, acasing surrounding the reduced portion, said casing bein i; housed in the extension and provided with an external screw thread, thrust members between the casing and the abutinents, a ring or nut mounted in the extension and engaging the thread on said easing, an arbor journaled in the extension, and a norm on the arbor for turning the ring.

8. The combinatimi of a shaft. having a journal. a bearing: for the journal that is n'ovided with a housing arranged beyond said journal. a thrust bearing carried by the housing. a journal box in which the hearing is nui-unted. and means carried by the housinu' tor moving the thrust bearing and the shaft axially said means comprising ,a nut that engages the bearing and is rotatably mounted in the housing, and a device for turning the nut that mounted in said housing.

9. The combination of a shaft havii'ig' a journal. :1 hearing: for the journal that is provided with a housing. a thrust bearing, tor the shaft located within the housing and ineludinr an outer member having an ex- "ternal sereu' thread, means for adjusting the thrust bearing to take up wear and lost motion, a threaded ring that is anchored against axial movement in the housing and engages the thread on the thrust bearing member, andnieans carried by the housing for turning the ring. to move the thrust bearing and the shaft axially.

10. The combination Off a shaft having a journal. a. bearing provided With a housing, a. thrust bearing for the shaft, a casing arranged in the housing. said casing having an internal projection that cooperates with the thrust bearing and an external screw thread. a ring cooperating with the screw thraid, a journal box means tor anchoring the ring against axial movement. which are carried by the first bearing, and means carried by said bearing for rotating the ring to move the thrust bearing and sha'tt axially.

11. The combination with a. shaft. having a journal and a bearing therefor, a journal box in which the bearing is mounted a thrust bearing that engages the shaft and prevents independent axial movement thereof, means for adjusting the bearing to take up near and lost motion, a screw threaded ring that surrounds the thrust bearing and is anchored against axial movement by the first bearing, and a worm and arbor carried by said bearing for turning the ring to move the shaft axially.

12. The. combination of a shaft, a bearing therefor, a journal box that supports the bearing, a thrust bearing that engages the shaft and comprises alternated rings and rollers, a casing to which the thrust of the bearing is transmitted, a spline to hold the casing against rotation, a ring that is thread ed to the periphery of the casing and is anchored in the first bearing against axial movement, and a means for rotating the ring to adjust the thrust bearing and shaft axially.

13. The combination of a shaft, a thrust bearing for the shaft, a casing for the bearing to which the thrust is transmitted, a housing in which the casing is located, a. device ar anged between the housing and the casing for holding the casing against rotation, a ring or not that is threaded to the periphery of the middle portion of the casing and held againstaxial movement in the housing. and means for turning the ring; to adjust the casing and the shaft axially 14. The combination with a shaft having a journal and abutinents, a bearing for the journal, a journal box in which the bearing is mounted, a casing surrounding the shaft and provided with an internal rib, antifriction elements between the abutments and rib. a housing for the bearing. an adjusting llltflllS UU the peripherv of the casing, and a device carried by the housing; that to operates with the adjusting means to move it and projects through a side wall of the journal box.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this seventeenth da of October,

RICHARD H. RICE. WERNER JOHNSON. \Yitnesses JOHN A. MoMAnUs, J12, FRANK G. HATTIE. 

